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Old 05-05-2021, 03:19 PM   #119 (permalink)
JSH
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Quote:
Originally Posted by redpoint5 View Post
As I'm constantly saying, the most reasonable way to change fossil fuel consumption is to change the tax rate. Any other proposal is less efficient, less effective, and less ethical.
Yes, you are consistently saying we should just raise the gas tax (You are also constantly saying we shouldn't have a gas tax and should fund roads through income taxes)

The problem with a gas tax is that it is regressive. The people most effected by the gas tax are the poor. It is not ethical to punish the poor because you want the wealthy to change their buying behavior.

If you raise the gas tax to a level that would get upper and middle classes to buy an new EV because it was cheaper than a gas car you would price people in lower income brackets out of driving altogether. Most of the USA doesn't have public transportation so suddenly low income people can't go to work. If you want the poor to still be able to go to work and provide those services we like then you would have to give them money so they could buy gas. Suddenly the simple solution isn't simple anymore. If you think raising the gas tax is unpopular try pairing it with universal basic income.
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